ALL THE LOVE WE LEAVE BEHIND

Chapter 5~

I didn't bother chasing after Dylan to say the last word. Instead, I loosened my hair, slipped my clothes off, leaving them to drape on the wooden floor, and then walked myself to the bathroom. The shower inside had a crystal glass and sliding door attached to it.

Fancy. Shamcy.

I praised its delicacy as I twisted the handle, letting the water fall, as I constantly touched it to wait and make sure it reached just the right temperature.

When it began boiling, I let the droplets pat the rest of my body while my fingers brushed the shampoo across my virgin hair.

After a 10 minute shower, I slid the door back open, as the steam penetrated its way back into the air. I grabbed a towel from the matte cabinet, wrapped it around my dripping body, and retraced my steps into the room.

That's when I realized I hadn't opened up the suitcase yet. I could always just wear my old clothes, but I had just cleansed myself and the clothes on the floor looked so dirty. I groaned, walking over to the suitcase and cracking the lock open. My clothes were all crumpled up along with the packed essentials that had been dumped over each other. I usually hated that but I didn't have the will nor energy to neaten any of it out right now.

Instead, I took out the first thing I could get my hands on; a knee-length black hoodie from the pile. It'll have to do.

I sighed as I held it out, and started searching for a bra when my phone buzzed.

Dropping the hoodie from my clutch, I reached out to turn it on.

A dozen birthday texts flushed and... something caught my eye...Tyler:

I went by your place to wish you. Please text me when you're back. I need to talk to you. ❤

A place in my heart experienced a wave of grief wash by.

Just ignore him.

I tried telling myself but then my guilt of leaving without an explanation immersed and I texted him back, with the briefest acknowledgment,

I'm out of town.

In my head, I covered it up with the reasonable excuse that the least he deserved to know was that I wasn't gonna be home for a while. But deep down, I knew a part of me still had butterflies over the thought of him wanting to meet me. And I wished I could lock that part up, shove it in some box and just forget about him. But that wasn't practical. I knew that this would take some time so I turned my phone off and crashed on the bed, clinging onto the towel that wrapped itself tightly around my body, with it being the only thing covering my bare skin and before I knew it I was out.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

Dylan's rusty voice spoke just as my eyes slid open.

My head drifted as my hands clutched onto the silk bed sheet that was now covering my body. I looked under the cover. Shit. I was still naked. But that wasn't the only thing bothering me...

"When did I-"

"Put a blanket on yourself? That was me."

Before I could finish my sentence, he answered it with a sense of pride.

When my face scowled at him he reassured me,

"Don't worry love, I didn't see anything. You looked cold so I simply covered you up a little more"

He said pointing to the quilt that I was so desperately clinging onto.

"Get out."

I blurted, not wanting to hear any sort of explanation right now.